Somerset Council has been awarded an extra £1 million to support home‑energy improvements for residents across the county, including the Burnham-On-Sea area.
The funding comes from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme and will help homeowners and private renters retrofit their properties to make them warmer, more efficient and cheaper to heat.
It adds to the £6 million already allocated for the three‑year programme running from April 2025 to March 2028.
Retrofitting covers a range of upgrades designed to improve energy efficiency, including floor, wall and loft insulation, new doors and windows, ventilation systems, solar panels, air source heat pumps and modern storage heaters.
Grants are means‑tested, and residents can check eligibility via the council’s Retrofit and energy efficiency webpage.
The Council’s delivery partner, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, says the scheme is already making a difference.
One local resident, who recently had a boiler replaced through the grant, shared how transformative the support has been: “My daily routine comprised of boil the kettle, have a wash, boil the kettle to wash up… This morning, I got up, put the heating on, had a nice hot shower then relaxed in a nice warm room. This has not happened for over 12 months and I’m so grateful.”
Cllr Sarah Wakefield, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Adults Services, Housing and Homelessness, welcomed the additional funding, saying the investment will help more households access “clean, efficient and more cost‑effective energy,” particularly those struggling with older systems.
“It is heartening to hear stories like the one shared by a resident, which demonstrate the real difference these improvements make to people’s day‑to‑day lives,” she added.
A video released by the council also highlights another resident’s experience of improvements made through the Warm Homes scheme.
More information, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, is available on Somerset Council’s Retrofit and energy efficiency page.
